Multiple control for aeroplanes



w. H. PH|PPS. MULTIPLE CONTROL FOR AEROPLANES.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. 1917.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

By Attorneys, MV) VZ/1/ 7/,

WITNESSES @W m,

W. H. PHIPPS.

MULTIPLE CONTROL FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I0. 1917.

1,355,855, Patented Oct. 12, 1920. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: By Attorneys,

ifyw I 1 +31 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. PHI'PPS, F. BALDWIN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO QRDNANOE ENGINEEIQE ING CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MULTIPLE CONTROL FOR AEROPLANES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application filed. November 10, 1917. Serial No. 201,368,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER H. PHIPPS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the town of Baldwin, county of Nassau, Long Island, State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple Control for Aeroplanes, of which the following is a; specification.

This invention relates to control mechanism for aeroplanes, or the like, and. aims to provideimprovements therein.

The present. invention. provides a dual .controlwherein: the aviators sit side by side in the machine, wherein the single lever or stick for operating the lateralstabilizing means and the ascensional plane is used, and wherein the movements. of eachv of the levers are the same as those given thelever in a. single control machine, having a lever control.

The invention. also provides a simple, conof the control mechanism.

Fig. 5, is a cross sectional view on; the line V V, Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6, is a cross sectional view onthe line V1, V1, Fig. 1.

Numeral 1,. designates the fuselage o the I machine, 2 and 3the main supporting planes (the machine being shown as a bipla-DQ), 5., 5', theailerons 6 the ascensional; planes or elevators and 7 the steering rudder. These parts may be of any well known, or suitable construction.

1O designates a shaft rotatively mounted in bearings 11, fixed upon the machine. Mounted upon the shaft 10, are two or more control levers 12 and 13. The control levers 12 and 13 have bifurcated ends 14, which are pivotally connected to the shaft 10, as by pivot pins 15, and which preferably. fit

wear upon the wire.

upon square portions 16 of the shaft 10. The control levers 12 and 13 turn upon the shaft 10 in a plane running transverse of the machine, and are connected so as to move in unison by a tie rod 17 pivotally connected to the levers 12 and 13 as indicated at 18. Movement of the levers 12 and 13 in planes running longitudinally of the machine turns the shaft 10 in its bearings.

The shaft 10 has fixed thereon rock-arms 20, to which rock-arms 20 are connected wires 21' for moving the ascensional planes 6.

Connected to the levers 12 and 13.. are wires 25, 2 6, which wires are also connected to the stabilizing planes 5, 5. I

27 designates a wire connecting the stabilizing planes 5, 5, on opposite sides of the machine. l/Vhen one stabilizing plane is pulled down, the pull is transmitted to the other stabilizing plane by the wire 27, so as to pull said other stabilizing plane in the opposite direction, as in well known practice.

The wire 25, is connected to the lever 13, as by a U-strap 28, passes through a slot 29 in the opposite lever 12, and passes through the axis of the shaft 10, which is made hollow for the purpose, and a pulley 30 is provided on theshaft 10 for guiding the wire 25 at the point where the wire enters the hollow end of the shaft 10. The ends of the shaft at the points where the wires pass out are provided with a bushing 31, the bushing being provided to min mize The wire 26 is similarly connected to the lever 12, passes through a slot 29 in lever 13 and passes over a pulley 30 into the hollow end of the shaft 10, and passes out of the shaft 10 through a bushing 31.

The shaft 10 is moun e ,v in front of the aviators and pupils seats and the tie bar 17, and the U-straps 28, are connected at sucha height to the lovers 12 and 13 that the legs of'the aviators may pass over the, tie bar and wires without interference. The connection of the wires 25 and 26 to the lever which is farthermost from the end of the shaft 10, through which the respective wires pass, is of advantage, inasmuch'as the. angle which each of the wires form with the shaft is acute, and hence the slack which is formed in the wire when the levers are turned upon shaft 10 is rendered a negligible quantity. It will be seen moreover that The steering rudder 7 is controlled by fvided-for the second control.

the wires 25 and 26 are so arrangedthat they; are little apt to catch the aviators foot, inasmuch as the tie rod 17 protects the wires on one side of each of the levers, and the wires are very close to the shaft 10 on the other side of the levers.

a pivoted foot lever 40, the foot lever and steering rudder 7 being connected by a pair of wires 41. Another foot lever 45 is pro- The foot levers 40and 45 are adapted to work in unison by suitable means. This means preferably comprises cranks 46 and 47 projecting from the levers 40 and 45, and a connecting rod 48. A slip, or yieldable connection 49 V is preferably provided in the rod 48.

Operation: The aviators, as for example, a pilot and a pupil seat themselves in the machine on the seats 60 with their feet resting upon the foot levers 40, v45. The wires 25, 2 6, and cross bar 17 connecting the control levers 12 and 13 are low enough so as not to strike the legs of the aviators.

To steer the machine in the horizontal plane, one of the aviators, as for example, the pilot, moves the foot lever 40, thereby transmitting motion to the steering rudder 7, through the wires 41. The movement of the pilots foot lever is transmitted through the. bar 48 to the foot lever of the aviator sitting beside the pilot, as for example, a pupi l.

rock-arms 2O communicate motion to the elevating planes 6, through the wires 21. The motion which the pilot imparts to the lever 12 is imparted to-the lever 13 of the othenaviatoi', as the bifurcated ends of the levers fit upon square portions of the shaft 10. I i

Inorder to operate the stabilizing planes 5, 5, the pilot, forexample, moves the lever 12 to one side, or the other. Movement of the lever 12 imparts a corresponding movement to the lever 13 through the connecting rod 17 and these rods through'the wires 25 and 26 communicatemotion to the stabilizi ing planes 5, 5. As the wires only transmit r p a pull, the stabilizing lanes 5, 5, are con-' plane 5 downwardly,and the movement of p the plane 5 is transmitted to the stabilizing 'plane 5, through the connecting wire 27. The upward movement of the plane 5 takes in such manner as to form an acute angle with the axis of the shaftlO, there is no 7 ing, or slip connection in the rod 48 enables objectionable slackening of the wires 25 and 26 when the levers are moved on their pivots.

As the wires 25 and 26 pass out of the shaft 10, along its axis, there is no slaclrening of the wires 25 and 26 when the shaft 10 is turned to operate the wires 21 connectto a pupil at the lever 13, and the pilot will be able to follow the actions ofthe pupil through movement of the lever 12 and foot lever 40.

Where a pupil loses presence of mind, through fright, or the novelty of an evolution of the machine, as for example, a steep dip, he usually stifl'ens in the seat and braces his feet against the foot lever. The yieldthe experienced aviator, or pilot, to operate his foot lever, despite the opposition due to the other aviator bracing himself against his foot lever. This is of great importance in banking at a very steep angle, or in righting the machine when it is tilted over by gusts. In case the aviator,who loses his presence of mind, holds onto his lever, the position of the experienced aviator beside him, enables him to push the frightened aviator off of his lever, or to strike him.

The inventive ideas may receive other ioo vmechanical expressions than those herein specifically illustrated and described.

What I claim is:

1. An aeroplane control comprising a rotatable shaft running transversely of the machine, and a plurality of operating levers connected to said shaft in a manner to turn it, and pivotedto said shaft in a manner to turn in a plane running transversely of the machine, and control means operating by a pivotal movement of said levers, said levers being connected to move in unison, said levers having control wires, crossing and running off in a line substantially axially of the said rotatable shaft. 7

2. An aeroplane control comprising a ro- V I tatable shaft running transversely'of thev nected by a tie w re 2 A pull upon thewire 25, for example, pulls the stabilizing machine, and a plurality of operating levers connected to said shaft in a manner to turn it, and pivoted to said shaft in a manner to turn in a plane running transversely of the machine, said levers being connected to move in unison, said levers having control wires connected thereto, the

wires connected to two control levers crossing and running off in a line substantially axially of the said rotatable shaft, said... levers having'slots therein near their points of connection to the rotatable shaft through which said wires pass.

3. An aeroplane control comprising a rotatable shaft running transversely of the machine, and a plurality of operating levers connected to said shaft in a manner to turn it, and pivoted to said shaft in a manner to turn in a plane running transversely of the machine, said levers being connected to move in unison, said levers having control wires connected thereto, the wiresconnected to two control levers crossing and running ofi in a line substantially axially of the said rotatable shaft, said levers having slots therein near their points of connection to the rotatable shaft through which said wires pass, said rotatable shaft having hollow ends through which said wires pass.

4. An aeroplane control comprising a rotatable shaft running transversely of the machine, and a plurality of operating levers connected to said shaft in a manner to turn it, and pivoted to said shaft in a manner to turn in a plane running transversely of the machine, and control means operating by a pivotal movement of the said levers, said levers being connected to move in unison, said levers having control wires connected thereto, running off in a line substantially axially of said rotatable shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WALTER H. PHIPPS. 

